ROAST POTATOES 🥔

Ultimate Roast Potatoes

Ingredients
2kg (4.4 lbs) starchy potatoes (Sebago, Maris Piper, Russet Burbank)
6 cloves garlic
4 fresh Bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
6 sprigs rosemary
Sea salt, to season
2 L beef stock
Beef tallow, for roasting (approximately 500ml/2 cups)
Flakey sea salt, to serve

Method
Step 1: Parboil the potatoes
Peel the potatoes and rinse in cold water. Chop into 5cm (2in) chunks. Place them in a large saucepan.
Add 2 of the garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs each of the thyme and rosemary, a pinch of salt and the beef stock.
Cover and place over a medium heat. Bring to a light boil.
Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender and almost falling apart. While you’re waiting for these to cook, start step 1 and 2 in the First Bake section.
Transfer the potatoes to a colander and leave for 6-7 minutes to steam, reserving the stock for another use (see notes).
Step 2: First bake
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan forced (390°F).
Place a stovetop-proof roasting tray over a medium high heat. Add enough tallow to be 5mm (0.2in) deep and let it melt (or you can heat the tray with tallow in the oven if it is not stovetop-proof).
Toss the potatoes in the colander to rough up the edges.
Carefully add the potatoes to the tray in a single layer. Season with salt and cook for 5 minutes, until golden brown on one side.
Carefully turn the potatoes over and transfer the roasting tray to the oven. Roast for 25 minutes.
Step 3: Add the aromats and serve
Remove the tray from the oven and turn the potatoes over again. Add the remaining garlic, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme.
Return to the oven and cook for a further 30 minutes, until golden brown and crunchy all over.
Transfer the potatoes to a paper towel lined bowl to drain briefly, then place them on a serving platter and season with flakey sea salt. Serve immediately.